Electrically heated fountain stylus



Dec. 4, 1951 J BELAK 2,577,721

ELECTRICALLY HEATED FOUNTAIN STYLUS Filed Dec. 2, 1949 INVENTOR JUHN J. BELAK ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 4, 1951 ELECTRICALLY HEATED FOUNTAIN STYLUS John J. Belak, Youngstown, Ohio, assignor of one-half to Theodore M.-Szemborn, Campbell,

Ohio

Application December 2, 1949, Serial No. 130,817

3 Claims. (Cl. 219-21) This invention relates to marking and/or coat ing equipment and more particularly to an improved pen or stylus for the application of heatsoftenable material such as masking wax, for example. Thus, the apparatus ofthe invention is particularly, but not exclusively, adaptable to the decorating art Where it is desired in manypinstances to provide on surfaces to be painted-or dyed certain decoratively designed areas masked with wax so that in the final outcome of the process such areas will be free of the applied coloring or coating. The apparatus of the invention comprises essentially a fountain type of stylus applicator in which an electrically heated reservoir is provided for the wax or other material to be dispensed and wherein the heating element may be so disposed as to retain the areas of maximum temperature at points spaced inwardly from the surfaces of the implement which are, engaged by either the hands or fingers of the user.

A further object of the invention is the provision in apparatus of the-character described of an improved arrangement for applying heat to the wax dispensing extremity of the implement so that a free flow of the wax is maintained under all normal conditions of use.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an improved arrangement in apparatus of the character described for automatically reducing the heat applied to the dispensing extremity of the implement when the implement is not in use so that thereby wasteful dripping from the implement is prevented.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed specification and the accompanying drawing wherein there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an electrically heated fountain type of wax applicator constructed according to the invention and shown in position in a users hand;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the implement of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the lower end portion of the implement, showing the relative position of the parts when pressure is maintained on the applicator stylus during normal use of the implement; and 1 Figures 4 and 5 are transverse sectional views of the apparatus of Figure 2, the sections being taken on the lines A-A and B-B of Figure 2,

2 respectively, and with Figure 5 larged scale.

As shown in the drawing, the apparatus of the invention may comprise a tubular casing member II] which is closed off at its upper end by a tightfitting plug II. Rigidly held in a centrally disposed recess formed in the plug H by a ferrule i2 is an elongated electric heating element I3 which, in accordance with usual practice, has an outer metallic shell enclosing a resistance element, not shown, to which is connected the conductors of a line cord I4. As shown, the line cord 14 extends outwardly through the ferrule l2 and the outer end of the ferrule I2 is riveted over the outer surface of the plug lI so that the heating element I3 will be rigidly suspended from the plug II.

The lower end of the casing member ID is internally threaded to screw-threadedly receive a shouldered head member I5 which is bulletshaped as shown and which is provided with a longitudinally extending thru bore I0. The upper end of the head I5 is formed with a series of stepped concentric bores to provide a well I! having an annular upper shoulder 28.

Slidably received in the bore I6 is a copper stylus pin I8 having a flat-headed upper end I9 and a ball-headed lower end 20. Also rigidly mounted on the pin it in a position immediately below the headed end I8 is a disc 2| adapted to overlie'the annular shoulder 28. The head 20 is preferably polished and chrome plated to increase the quality of the stylus and to make it long wearing. Also, the pin I8 may be provided with longitudinally extending grooves 22 (see Figure 5) to facilitate the downward capillation of the melted wax or other heat-softenable material which is to be applied by the implement.

It should be particularly observed that the flat lower end of the heating element I 3 is spaced upwardly from the flat upper end of the head IQ of the pin [8 when the pin is in lowermost position with the disc 2! resting on the shoulder 28. In this condition of the parts the copper pin I8 cannot receive heat directly from the element I3 so that the fluidity of the wax surrounding the pin I8 is decreased, thereby blocking the outward dripping of wax from the implement. The valving action of the disc 2I also blocks the outward flow of wax but I have found in some models that the disc 2| may be replaced by a simple transverse strut which has no valving action. In either arrangement, the provision of the well I! is desirable.

It will be understoodthat the casing member being on an enl provides a reservoir for a quantity of wax or other heat-softenable material to be dispensed and this reservoir may readily be charged by unscrewing the head l'5 as will be understood. Assuming the reservoir to be 50 charged and current applied to the heating element l3 through the conductors I4 it will be obvious that the heat emitted by:the:' element-l3 will meltzdownzbutr because of the closure of the disc 21 iorwthe. solidi-- fication of wax in the bore [6, as explained above, no wax will flow to the applicator stylus 205. However, when it is desiredltolbeginltheeuserot the implement the head His placedagainstthe Surface to be decorated and a-wveryaslightiiprese sure on the casing Ill will cause'axslidingzmovezment of the pin IB whereby the flat head l9 thereof will be brought into. direct engagements with the lower end of the heating element 1 Sand almost instantaneously, because of the high coneductivity of the copper, the temperature throughout the lengthrof the.- pin. IB-awilLrise: sufficiently to unplug the capillary passageebeetween-the bore a I 6 and the. pin wl8 and the stylus point-2i) will/be coveredlwith liquid'wax; By; proper expert manipulationof the implementethe desired design may be inscribed iniWaX I on the; surface to be decorated. as-will be understoodby those familiarwith this decorators .art. So long. asthe implementis in fairly continuous :use the temperature of thepinIB will remainsuflicientlm high to, maintain afilm of 'meltediwax. over; and about the pointZilbut upon the implementbeing laid aside, for example, theloutward snow of. waxv will "cease for the reasons. explained above.

I;. prefer the external casing partsmofl the im-: plement to. be .madeof heat-insulatingimaterialsr so that their external surfaces will be.comfor.t.-- able to hold- Itlis particularly desirable that the headel be madepofiplastic, hard rubber; or.:simi1-= larmaterialhavinga relatively low coeflicientuof heat-l transmission so that little heat is trans: mitted v throughit to the, pint I8. Thisg allows, the conduction .ofihea't through V the: pin tohavew controli overthe fluidity f the ,wax. surrounding; the pin, thereby enablingtheflmode.of'operation; above described.

The above. specifically: described embodiment of the. invention should .be considered as illus=- trative. only as obviously, many. changes may be. madertherein without departing from the. spirit: or: scope. of, the invention. References; should; therefore be had.,to the appendedvclaimsin deterimining the scopeiofithe invention.

Ijclaim'.

1. Im a, wax applying; stylus: oh the; fountain.

' of saidheating assembly, the arrangement being such that upon'downward movement of the easing;towardmaiwork-usurface and upon the lower end of'said pin engaging such surface said pin \wi'llmovempwardly in said bore into engagement with said heat assembly and thereby become heated tdsoftemv and imeltthe- -wax; said bore whileeupon vertical withdrawal' of said-casihgand pin: from said surface the pin' will move's out of;

contact with said-'heatingaassembly-and be=cooled to thereby r solidify the wax: in said bore.

2". Apparatus" according to claim 1' further: characterized inthat said bore-is of increased diameter: in its' upper end portion to provide a wax-receiving well.

3; Apparatus; according toclaim 2' further including a fluid-impervious disc securedon said pin immediately: below: the headed upper end thereof and adapted 'to engage at its'outerperiph ery thesh'oulder formed by the bore zenlargemunication between the: space-withinsaid tubu larcasing andithe lower portion-of said' bore uporr downwardisliding;movement-ofjsaid pin.

JOHNE'JJ BEL'AKZ REEERENGESj CITEll The following references are of "record in" the fileof-"this; patent:

UNITED v STATES; PATENTS Number Name: Date:

13153589? Saachy July 2'1 .1931 2.24%;4001 Stack' Y,May;27;19411 FOREIGN PATENTS? 7 Number; Country;- Date ,7

6:3;651; Switzerlan Nov. 25,1912; 244327 Great Britain ,,Dec. 23,1925: 

